School Reopening: Can Singapore Show the Way?

Reopening schools in COVID-19 affected countries will require many considerations. What can countries like Hong Kong, Vietnam and the UAE learn from Singapore where schools have stayed open throughout the COVID-19 pandemic?

Have any individual schools closed in Singapore?

Yes. In Singapore, a small number of pre-schools and local schools have been closed on a case-by-case basis where a member of the school is suspected or confirmed of having the virus. The affected school closes immediately for a 14-day period; the campus is deep-cleaned; any staff and students who had close, sustained contact with an infected person are issued a 14-day self-quarantine; and all members of the school community are asked to avoid going to crowded places and attending social gatherings.

In Singapore, three pre-schools and one government-run secondary school have been temporarily closed due to confirmed cases of COVID-19.

What happens if there is a suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19 in a school student in Singapore?

The school will be closed to all staff and students for a 14-day incubation period (see above). Parents may be allowed onto campus briefly only to collect their child's bags and any materials needed for online learning.

During any closure period, international schools in Singapore have used various methods of home and online learning to minimise disruption to their students’ education; these include the use of Seesaw, Google Classroom, Google Meets and Zoom for online lessons, stories, instructional videos, sing-along assemblies, music sessions, and much more.